Tim Brown: Get Your Head in the Game

In my 17 years in pro football, I missed only six days of camp, and that was because my first daughter was born prematurely, and I obviously had to leave camp to be with her and my wife. Other than that, I didn't miss a day or even a practice. In my years in the league, I saw very few players who performed poorly in training camp and then were able to turn it around during the regular season.

That holds true in the market as well. You want to go after winners and not gamble on stocks that are slackers or just not as good as the rest.

One Strong Pick

Today I want to talk about Cooper Industries(CBE Quote). This company's origins date back more than 170 years to a small iron foundry in Mount Vernon, Ohio. It was started by brothers Charles and Elias Cooper in 1833.

Cooper Industries manufactures and sells electrical products and tools. Its electrical products segment makes, markets and sells electrical and circuit-protection devices, including fittings, support systems, enclosures, wiring devices, plugs, receptacles, lighting fixtures, hazardous-duty electrical equipment and fuses. The tools segment makes, markets and sells hand tools for industrial, construction, electronics and consumer markets.

I like this company for several reasons. Cooper, which is slated to announce its earnings tomorrow, boosted its second-quarter guidance earlier this month. The company said that strong demand overseas offset a slowdown here in the U.S. That is certainly welcome news, and it should provide readers with some comfort that this company has several pockets to pull from.